Happy New Year and God Bless!
I wish everyone was loved tonight, and somehow stop this endless fight, just a chance that maybe we'll find better daysBetter Days - The Goo Goo Dolls
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Christmas Road Trip
By the time we got out of mass on Christmas Eve, it was 7pm, I had to clean out my car, grab the gifts for my cousins, and gas up the car. A martini and some champagne later, I was settled in for a rousing game of Seinfeld Scene It with the family. We got home at 10:30. No way I was going to pack at 10:30 and ruin the lovely little buzz I had going.
Woke up at 5, walked the dog, checked the email, packed, got the daughter up, and we were on the road by 6:30 am. Not bad all things considered. However, it is important to note that nothing is open Christmas Day (aren’t there any atheists operating a Starbucks? And why do atheists take the day off? Isn’t that antithetical to who they are? HEY! Atheists! Yoo hoo! Keep those Dunkin’ Donuts open and deposit your barrels full of money in the bank while taking advantage of we stupid Christian sheeple who are offending your very senses by celebrating the birth of our Lord and God! That’ll show us!) so we had to forgo the traditional Road Trip Start coffee.
Another tradition demands that we start the trip listening to Radio Classics on the Sirius satellite radio. We were enormously diverted by the warm fuzzy Christmas stories – the tale of how the song “Silent Night” came to be, “The Whistler” and his Christmas morality play of murder most foul, as well as “Sgt. Preston of the Yukon”. We listened to “The Bells of St. Mary’s” and a touching little piece Jimmy Stewart did in 1957 as part of “The Six Shooter” series, which was a western take off on “A Christmas Carol”.
Other than that weep fest, our drive up was a good one. The weather was fine and gas is cheaper than it’s been in 5 years. What’s not to love? My son and his wife had a wonderful dinner on the table and we had a wonderful afternoon.
Most fun for the day was driving up to see my Mom. I hadn’t told her I was coming up for Christmas, so when I got to her house, I 
It was a really joyful evening and worth the 6.5 drive up.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Kingdom of the Winds (ep. 18 – 26)
Between making cookies, Legion of Mary work, and attending a party last weekend, I sandwiched in some KotW time. I had promised my k-drama chums that I’d catch up. Something had to give, so I didn’t clean.
It was a win win!
And this is by no means a blow by blow account of each episode. These are meandering thoughts that occurred to me as I watched.
Ep.18
We get an Emperor of the Sea Man-Pain moment when Dojin is drinking away his shock realizing that little Cardboard Face is in love with Muhyul. Main-Pain = drinking alone and swiping all one's dishes on to the floor in a fit of rage, again, a la Emperor of the Sea and Yeom Moon.
Ep. 20
Remarkable, I thought, for two things: 1) It showed how inept King Yuri is that in one generation removed from Jumong, his border guards degenerated into drunken womanizing sots. I do
n't know why Daeso prepared for war for so long. I little reconnaissance w
ould show that Goguryeo's soldiers weren't up for it. And:
2) SIG facial hair. It's about time.
I’ve decided that the actress playing Yeon is being directed to look just like the little drawing of Yeon in the comic books with the big eyes bright with tears. It’s her only form of emoting.
Ep. 21
It’s hard for me not to compare EotS SIG with KotW SIG, (probably because of the facial hair). I find this interesting because I never did this with Jumong SIG. I rewatched a few scenes of EotS SIG and found him again to be absolutely superb in the role. His angst was portrayed so subtly and delicately. It makes me wonder if he was more relaxed during the filming of EotS - he wasn't carrying the lead role, though Yeom Moon was a significant one - it wasn't the lead. Maybe that's the difference.
Yeon's looking like crap, and Dojin's hair has gotten weird, his black bangs covering one eye. It’s almost like the dark continues to take over the man; the hatred and jealousy he feels for Muhyul continues to eat at him and he gets darker. Or maybe it’s just that the actor’s eye got wounded on the set and they are trying to cover it up. Yeah, that one.
Ep. 23
The Littlest Yeojin finally grew a pair and told his mother off. Good for him.
Ep. 24 - 25
I’m getting very tired of Dojin and his repeated commitment to Fat Daeso: "If you only allow me, I will get rid of the Goguryeo royal family". I don't know what's worse, his broken record or the fact that Yuri keeps believing him.
The best and sweetest moment was when Princess Seryu invited Goeyu to her bed. A thoroughly modern Milly, Seryu sees what she
wants and takes it. Goeyu politely drinking the wine at the pretty little table she sets up for him. Goeyu’s eyes saying “Does this mean what I think it means?” Seryu’s eyes responding, “Oh yeah baby it does.” Then Maro’s and Balso’s repeated congratulations to him the next day.
Muhyul marries the Beeyotch Queen but does not consummate the union. Ouch.
Muhyul and Yeon also say their goodbyes. A brave move on the part of the writers by giving Munwha Yeon so much dialogue all at once. She didn't do too badly; she kept her eyes nice and bright.
Ep. 26
Whoops! Bad timing on their parts, but in the better late than never column ~
Kim Il-Stalker
Guest-Blogger-Who-Never-Blogs-Anymore, Starbuck, and I went to a charity event last week at a local tavern – Casino Night. $20 bought chips and play on several gaming tables. GBWNBA is the family craps-maven and we took our places next to her at the table.
It can get macabre, really, when GBWNBA and I go out. Our frustrated inner profilers lunge to the surface and we begin to identify certain “types”.
“There’s your Gacy,” says GBWNBA. “Looks friendly enough. Probably has a clown suit in the trunk.” 
I contend that being aware of one’s surroundings lessens the potential one will become a victim. My daughter claims I have created in her a helpless paranoiac destined for agoraphobia.
All in good fun.
Meet up Group Familiars along with Local Tavern Regulars were in attendance at the annual casino event. Jack Daniels, our miscreant from the Great Bonfire Event of two months ago was in attendance. His antics had reached a level of infamy and GBWNBA thought it might be amusing to take off her wedding ring to see if he would attempt to pour his smooth and sultry brand of intoxication into her shot glass, in a manner of speaking. She was wanting to teach him a lesson.
She got attention all right. But not from Jack Daniels.
E
Il-Stalker slid in next to GBWNBA, asked how to initiate play, thinking he could drop a $20 bill on the craps table. I imagine that he also goes into a grocery store and thumps melons that aren’t ripe. She explained that he’d need to get chips, outlined the rules very succinctly and then focused on Starbuck and I since we were newbies to the table.
It was plain that Kim Il-Stalker was smitten. He sort of puppy dogged her around the bar, blackberry still attached, sat behind her as she played black jack, expressed dismay when she said she wasn’t going to be at the Meet Up Christmas shindig Saturday night. He went so far as to try to talk her into it.
GBWNBA tired early, said her goodbyes to Starbuck and I and started to make her way to her car.
“Can I have your phone number or email or something?”
Taken unawares, GBWNBA spun around. Thinking it would be easier to placate than reject, she naively gave him her email address. I say naively because her email address has the full spelling of her last name and her place of employment. Some pointed googling would further expose her.
He emailed her the next day, extending an invitation to get to know her better. She emailed him back, politely declining the invitation.
Saturday evening; Christmas party. Helpful advice was given to Starbuck on Kim Il Stalker’s status as something of a libertine. Apparently, KIS is a player, pursues women relentlessly, uses his blackberry to collect pictures of his targets.
Starbuck sees Kim Il Stalker come in.
“Hey, is your friend coming?” he casually asks.
“Sister. I’m her sister and nd forget it, she’s married.”
“Married?! She didn’t tell me she was married. She emailed me.”
“She responded to your email. She was being nice. She’s not interested.”
KIS’s disappointment lasted as long as it took him to find another chick willing to engage in some heavy petting in the basement. Both resurfaced an hour later, sloe eyed and hickeyed up.
KIS wasn’t done. As I sat across from him, he engaged a drunken festivity participant in his diatribe of betrayal, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.
“See? This is the girl I met Thursday night,” sporting a picture of my cousin on his cell phone, “She didn’t tell me she was married.”
I understood that this was directed at me, but I wasn’t sure what point he was trying to make. What, she betray you, Romeo? She aware that you were capturing her digital image on your cell phone, Pig? She give permission for that?
“That’s f****** up man.” Slurry boy slurred, “s’fuuuuuuu******* up.”
GBWNBA called me the next day, some concern in her voice. “I’m two steps away from coming home and finding a rabbit boiling over on my stove reading a note, I’M NOT GONNA BE IGNORED!”
We joked a little, analyzed the thing, considered options. The best option was to ignore him and figure he’d go away to chase a less-married, more needy skirt.
Except he found her on Facebook and sent her a message. “Your sister told me you were married. She told me to forget it. SHE SAID FORGET IT!”
If he writes on her wall to “…bring over the dog, I’m a great cook,” she might be another step closer to the bunny.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Horoscopes, Books, National Shrine, Christmas
My Facebook horoscope for the today said:
When someone calls you in for a meeting, don't panic. It's actually good news, so stop expecting the worst..
Is it possible that this meant the 90 seconds it took for my colleague and I to decide what to order for lunch? It was good news that we were still able to get the crab cakes so, spooooooky accurate for the day!
My Chinese dragon horoscope on Facebook said:
You may be considering offering a friend a spot on the tour bus you are booking, but think about it. Will they really be that harmonious a traveling companion? Are your interests in line? You might have to juggle things a lot before you can make it work.
So is tour bus a euphemism for something? Perhaps it references the vehicle I will be taking to drive to NY? Does this allege I should leave my daughter behind, lest my trip be not harmonious? Can’t see how I can do that and not get hauled in for neglect. Perhaps it alludes to the love interest that yesterday’s horoscope promised. Maybe THAT’S the tour bus – the tour bus of LOVE I am booking.
Is it a wonder I don’t take any of that seriously?
My voracious reader’s appetite has me continuing to plow through the JD Robb “…in Death” series. I find that series to be the most engaging of the Nora Roberts books – the MacGregor books were fun, and I’m only starting in on the Pagan Stone trilogy, but from the first book, “Imitation in Death” I was hooked on the writing, the characters, the wit and the overall smartness of the tone. I have read 16 in the series so far, though not in order, and have enjoyed every single one. I will be sad when I have completely caught up and have to wait for the next book to be published.
Just as my daughter craves Edward Cullen, so I crave Roarke.
I learned last night at my Legion of Mary meeting that friends are headed to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the 
My daughter and I went to the Shrine two years ago for Easter mass. We walked through the upper church, eyeing the Scary Jesus fresco the whole time feeling like he was watching our every move…IN OUR SOULS. We also went into the little Lourdes grotto downstairs to light some candles.
I remember the first time I ever went there, when I first moved to the Northern VA area. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon in October. I had no idea that it was some special occasion attended by Bishop Loverde who was led in by the Knights of Columbus in full reglia, a chamber orchestra, a childrens’ choir and an adult choir. I got a little worked up at the majesty of it all and I cried. I get like that sometimes. When I am properly disposed, the mass moves me.
Still in all, I will attend mass at 6pm tonight, receive communion, shake hands and share hugs with kith and kin :) and I will not only dream of a white Christmas, but tomorrow celebrate it with my children around me.
On the holiest of nights, on the most blessed of days, I am the luckiest of women.
Merry Christmas. God Bless.
More Boredness
I came to the conclusion today that the company I work for must get a break on their heating bill if they turn on the air conditioning so that it blows directly on my right hand and arm.
It is the only possible explanation for the cold air that pours out of the vent above me. I decided to go out in 20 degree weather for lunch so I could get in my car and turn on the heat. Hell on the mileage, but I was certain I would lose my fingers due to frostbite if I didn’t.
This plan was successful.
My horoscope on Facebook brought several moments of terror:
You will be seconds away from making a huge mistake, but you will stop yourself just in time. That was close..
Phew. Crisis averted! I wonder what the huge mistake was? Not parking on the deserted second floor of the parking garage? Not listening to CNN? Heeding the faxed advice of future self urgently urging me to NOT drink the coffee because it was poisoned?
I guess I’ll never know.
My Chinese horoscope was a little more direct:
You may be considering taking a class, attending a lecture or traveling soon. If you are still single, it will be at a venue where ideas are shared and explored that you will find new romantic opportunities. If you are already married, your partner may give you a new book to read.
Wow – I AM traveling soon – driving to NY for Christmas! How did it know that?? (Notice how I glibly ignore the “you may be..” part along with my other may..be..options). How did it KNOW that I AM SINGLE!!! MAYBE I’ll finally find my new romantic interest!
Good thing I am not married to that pathetic cheap book buying bastard. I’m just sayin’.
Another catastrophe was avoided today when I helped route a dropped envelope to the mail room. Thank God the company has me here this week.
One day to go. Legion meeting tonight, the laundry and cleaning last minute sprint will begin after that. I have Thursday and Friday off, driving to New York to spend time with kith and kin. Kith. Kith. What IS that? Ah – familiar friends, neighbors or relatives. Now I know.
Wait, here’s another horoscope:
Although you may be quite willing to experience the shadowy side of love, it's because you know that sweet delights can be in store once you process darker feelings that are in the way. But today you might be stuck and unable to move beyond habitual patterns of negativity. Don't worry; the clouds will clear and you'll be feeling more upbeat before you even know what happened.
Hmmm, maybe THAT’S what I stop myself from doing “just in time”. Indulging in the “darker feelings” that are on the way.
Queue the creepy music.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Want to Eat My Face
Bored this week. Our company has a shut down the last two weeks of the year, but since I am considered “essential”, I was asked to work. Well, not asked. Told. But it’s ok; means I don’t have to use any of my vacation time.
Since there is no one else here, that means though, that no work is being generated and I’m bored. It follows then, that the most asinine things amuse and enrich the dullest of days….
Did you know that you can wish someone Merry Christmas in Klingon? It’s true – and modify it for a person or for a whole GROUP of Klingons!
QISmaS DatIvjaj 'ej DIS chu' DatIvjaj (sg)
QISmaS botIvjaj 'ej DIS chu' botIvjaj (pl)
This may come in handy if my next obsessive phase is set to stun.
Crises were then averted when I was able to email some scanned documents.
High drama then ensued when someone came up to me and ask if I knew why there were no telephones in any of the conference rooms. Indeed, this was odd. I did some investigation. First I called reception:
“Can you tell me if conference room phones have been secured through the shut down?”
“No. You can call security.”
“Can you put me through?”
“Yeah.”
Ring ring ring.
“Security.” chew, chew chew, smack, swallow.
“Who’s this?”
Chew; “Kim Il Stalker”, (oh sorry, ‘nother blog), “Tim.” the sounds of tongue cleaning one’s teeth can be heard.
“Tim, can you tell my why there are no phones in the conference rooms on my floor?”
“Nope.”
“Should it be reported?”
“I don’t know why it should be.”
“If the phones were stolen, shouldn’t I be making you aware of it?”
“OH! THEY’VE BEEN STOLEN?” No chewing now.
“I don’t know that they’ve been stolen Tim, I’m trying to determine where they might be.”
“You can talk to my boss.”
“Great. Can you transfer me?”
Ring ring ring.
“Security"
“Hi, who’s this?”
Suspicious and annoyed brief pause, contemplating my temerity in demanding a first name.
“Rosella."
“Hi, Rosella, can you tell my why there are no phones in the conference rooms on my floor?”
“Uh, no."
“Should that be reported?”
Thick with attitude, and this is a supervisor, mind you. “Uh, phones is not a security issue maam."
“Are stolen phones a security issue Rosella?”
You can almost hear her spine snap as it straightens up with the prospect of office chicanery.
“OH! Yes! They were stolen?"
“I don’t know Rosella, I only know that there were phones there, and they are no longer there. It’s possible they were secured for the shutdown, but I can’t find anyone with any information.”
“Well, we can fill something out,"
In the meantime, the other “essential” person in the department came waltzing over – non-security personnel by the way. His investigative work complete. And yes, the phones were secured in a safe location.
“Never mind Rosella, we got it.”
Nervous, and finally respectful voice was turned on, “OK, thank you, maam."
See? Drama. It’s gonna be a loooooong 2 weeks.
Oh, and by the way:
메리 크리스마스 잘 지내고 새해 복 많이 받으세요
meli kliseumaseu jal ji naego saehae pog manhi pateuseyo
(“Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, you’re doing well”)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Kingdom of the Winds (eps 15 – 17)
To be fair, no k-drama series swept me off my feet in the first several episodes. Except maybe for “My Name is Kim Sam Soon”; that series picked up the funny ball right away and kept going with it. By the time it got a little more serious, you were in love with the characters and pulling for Sam Soon all the way.
Even my beloved “Thank You” – didn’t capture my heart immediately. It took me four or five episodes before I was aching for these characters. It’s easier though, when you know there is a lovely defined number of episodes. “Thank You” had 16, so thank goodness I was captured by the 4th episode. Jumong had 81 and I don’t think I really enjoyed much of it until episode 22. That’s a tremendous investment of time when you aren’t feeling the love.
Kingdom of the Winds starts to heat up a bit now that we are nearly halfway through.
Episode 15
The love triangle between Muhyul, Yeon, and Dojin is starting to sizzle a bit! Spying our flirty couple stealing a comforting embrace, Dojin feels anger in his loins.
During their last parting, a necklace was touchingly exchanged for weapons blueprints. Up to now, there has been a little push me pull you between Muhyul and Dojin regarding Cardboard Face Yeon. They both love her, but you get the impression that either would give her up for the other.
Times and circumstances change for our boys in black. Dojin has decided to take the path of evil while Muhyul decides to trod the path of the righteous. Caught in between is Cardboard Face. It’s pretty clear to us that she loves Muhyul as a man, and she loves Dojin as a brother, but this is not clear to Dojin. Dojin gots himself a bellyful of wants. He wants his family’s honor to be reinstated. He wants to take his rightful place as the heir to Daeso as King. He wants Yeon by his side as his wife.
Meanwhile Muhyul gets busted by some guys playing the palace machinations game for being a former Black Op of Buyeo. By this time, Yuri knows that Muhyul is his mostly dead son from 20 years ago, he just hasn’t told Muhyul that yet. So when Yuri gets wind that Palace Shenanigans are taking place, he goes stomping off to save his son.
It’s a pretty powerful moment at the end of episode 15, with dramatic kingy music playing. Gave me quite the little thrill. The guy playing Yuri is one of the better actors in this series.
Episode 16
I think it was in this episode, where Muhyul takes on more of a leadership role with Gorguryeo’s soldiery that I realized something about SIG. He just doesn’t do scrappy youngster well. He annoyed me in Jumong (those first 22 episodes), and just bugged me so much in Lobbyist I couldn’t even finish it. Here in KotW, I realized that this was where my ageda came from. SIG has a certain screen presence that doesn’t lend itself well to being doofy and truculent. When he’s King of Gorgureyo, when he’s hot king pirate in Emperor of the Sea – he’s thrilling. Scrappy? Not so much.
So in this episode we get “take charge” Muhyul. He’s training soldiers to be able to defy Buyeo’s Black Ops. He’s strong and tough. He’s intelligent and with purpose. He lights up the screen and you finally feel his charisma again. About effing time.
It was otherwise an unremarkable episode really, though we get some fine screen time with Muhyul and the Bizzaro Muhyul (Dojin) where there is some underlying tension while on the surface they act as brothers. Bizzaro Muhyul makes sure that Muhyul knows how he feels about Yeon and what his expectations are. He wants her for his wife and he does it all very softly and carefully, like we’re all pals here, marking his territory. I like the chemistry between Muhyul and Dojin much much more than I like the chemistry between Cardboard Face and anyone.
These two have started circling one around the other and it’s becoming interesting.
Episode 17
The best episode so far.
Secrets secrets secrets. The secret of Muhyul’s lineage is about to explode. Dojin, who has sided with Palace Machinations and his ilk, has deduced who Muhyul is and conspires to play on the people’s fear by spreading rumors and poisoning the water. Muhyul, rather than swallow the whole “the gods are punishing us all because of the ghost prince” does some fine investigative work in an effort to soothe the populace.
He does so well, that Princess Seryu (his sister but he doesn’t know it yet) asks him to look into the possibility that her mostly dead brother is still alive. He scouts out the tomb where the royal relics are and discovers who he is. In case there is any uncertainty, Yuri follows, unaware that Muhyul is nearby and laments Muhyul’s twisted and black fate.
SIG’s performance here was exquisite. The shock and panic as he puts it all together, the horror at who he is, what his fate is, that he was a real brother to Haemyoung, and that people are already dead because of him hits him hard. I was looking for overacting here, but found myself lost in the character and his anguish.
Muhyul then thinks back through his life and most touching are his moments with Haemyoung, looking at them now with the eyes of understanding. They really were brothers. His brother sincerely loved him, showed him so, wanted to protect him and teach him ~ just wanted to be a big brother. Very moving. I got choky.
I’m now eagerly anticipating future episodes where SIG grows some facial hair. As does his doppleganger, Bizzaro. A good twin and a bad twin. Hot.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Kingdom of the Winds (eps 11 – 14)
Lots of spoilers in this – you don’t want ‘em, don’t read ‘em.
The last time I wrote about KotW, I was at episode 10. I was still waiting for the magic to hit. I wasn’t feeling the love and I was becoming discouraged. I backed away and I felt bad; I had done the same thing with “The Lobbyist” and never went back.
So, I made the effort. I carved out some time this weekend between laundry, steam cleaning the rugs and decorating for Christmas to try to reinvest in this series. It took me considerable effort, as you will see from my notes:
Episode 12
Muhyul has abducted Yeojin in an effort to flush out King Yuri so he can exact his revenge. Now up to know, we have endured Muyhul’s torture at a variety of hands, poisoning (where we got to see feet), dozens of arrows to the body, and all-but-fatal sword cuts so that we can get to see his love interest, Dr. Buyeo Princess Yeon, nurse him back to health.
In this episode, Muhyul has abducted the King’s youngest son, Yeojin in an attempt to flush out the king and exact his revenge. His ploy is successful; King Yuri rides out alone to save his son.
Episode 13
My disillusion with the drama continues as this was all interesting in the episode I could find to write about:
In episode 13, we get the miraculous white cloth of life AGAIN 
I wanted to eat my face off.
Episode 14
I was apparently warming up to the series, since my sarcasm quotient went down slightly:
Muhyul is shown the error of his ways in that his reasons for vengeance were flawed. He cries a lot and uses the churning adams apple of emotion and wants to make up for his mistakes by becoming a double spy on Buyeo (Daesoland). 
Monday, December 1, 2008
Thanksgiving
How was your Thanksgiving?
Spent mine in bed. And not in the good way.
Tuesday before Thanksgiving, my throat said howdy to the killer bees that wanted to scout the area. My chest, always friendly, shook hands with the marauders, invited them in for tea and alveoli. I raced home to douse myself with Vitamin C and Echinacea, the palliative endorsed by millions and I went to bed with hope.
Shortlived hope and dashed the next day. Felt like junk. Throat bees were constructing some migrant accomodation and a few decided to reconnoiter into my ears making it difficult to hear at work.
There went the plans. Plans of making chocolate creme pies and rutabega for the family feast ~ dried up. Plans of snacking and picking and conventional Thanksgiving overindulgence ~ dashed. I sent my daughter over with pies and spent the day on the couch.
4 days in bed. The bees and I watched 6 episodes of "Third Rock from the Sun", 9 episodes of "Coffee Prince", and a half hearted attempt at "Cold Case Files". We read 2 paperbacks, 1.5 hardcover books, consumed countless Excedrin, Advil, Tylenol, Dayquil, cough drops, throat lozenges and tissues. We gargled with warm salt water, later with dissolved aspirin in warm water, took at least 8 baths, and a cold wet washcloth, a thermometer and heating pad saw constant use. Bees didn't care. They allowed me these small indulgences.
Kept my daughter away from the bees as much as possible. The Immortal was happy enough to sleep by the door and come over to lick my face occasionally. Bees don't like him.
I missed Thanksgiving Dinner, Black Friday, a birthday party (for several women, one of whom was ME), confession and mass.
Sunday, I felt like getting out of bed and taking a shower. This exhausted me, but I was able to freshen up and lay on the couch. The bees had gotten quiet ~ I think they knew their long weekend was over and it was time to pack the kids and whatever vocal chord they took a shine to and move on to the next community. I spent the whole day watching "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy on TNT - I think it's almost like 12 hours of movie. I fell in love with the characters and the movie all over again and didn't mind a bit.
The silver lining was that I had that full four days to recover from the killer bee infestation. I didn't have to go in to work OR take sick time.
And for that, I was thankful.
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